Cassata Ice Cream Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
2 tbsp chopped green candied cherries
2 tbsp chopped red candied cherries
2 tbsp chopped candied apricots
2 tbsp chopped candied pineapple
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 oz sliced almonds, toasted

Preparation

Line a 5 x 8 inch loaf pan with cling wrap. Scoop 1/3 of the ice cream into a large bowl and allow to soften slightly. Stir in candied fruit and spoon into prepared pan. Smooth the surface, cover and freeze at least 1 hour, until firm.
Place 1/2 remaining ice cream in a bowl and allow to soften. Sift in cocoa powder and mix well. Spread in loaf pan on top of fruit layer and smooth the surface. Cover and freeze until firm.
Allow remaining ice cream to soften slightly. Stir in almond extract and almonds. Spread over chocolate layer and smooth the surface. Cover with cling wrap and return to freezer for 3 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, invert pan onto a chilled serving plate. Remove, cling wrap, slice and serve.